It’s bitterly cold here today, but the day is clear and the sky and the ocean are the same crystalline blue. Downy white clouds mimic the breaking whitecaps below and from my office window I see an eagle soaring and white gulls swooping overhead. Descriptions are often one of the hardest concepts for writers to master, and those of us who teach writing are always urging students to “show, don’t tell.” I’m reminded of a favorite quote from Chekhov: “Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”